Chaplains for Staff

Please appoint a volunteer chaplain who solely supports your staff!

Background: In 2018, Cook County’s DOC in Chicago began its first, roving, volunteer chaplain just for staff. Staff had no chaplain; such support was solely or predominantly for detainees.

It took only 8 hours total, over 3 weeks, for one staff to create and launch this chaplaincy-for-staff, which has steadily grown.
Its speedy creation was due to appointing a volunteer chaplain – eliminating any budget process.
 
This 6-part Guide explains why staff should have their own chaplain, and simple steps to do so.
In summary:

• Few jails have chaplains solely for staff. Even fewer rove tier to tier, to connect with all staff.
• When distressed about family, health, or other issues, staff typically don’t seek help; they just try to get through their shift. If a chaplain waits to be called, such needs go unaddressed. But a roving, volunteer chaplain can encounter the hurting, offer a confidential ear, and give heart-felt support!
• Start with Part 1 (“SELLING THE CONCEPT…”), to your leadership, providing the two American Jails articles on why and how to have such chaplains; suggest it be tested. Then, after approval:
• Follow Parts 2 – 6. These detail how to find, select, launch, and support a roving, volunteer chaplain-just-for-staff. As each jail is unique, modify the steps/templates to reflect your agency’s requirements.
• For a full description of how this can work at your agency, please click here to watch the Justice Clearinghouse webinar “Helping Hidden Heroes: Chaplains for Correctional Staff — Emotions, Health, and Retention”.

Please contact me if you have a question, suggested improvement for this Guide, and/or to share your agency’s innovations or best practices. I’d love to learn about and share various approaches with other jails.

Sincere thanks to you and your agency’s hard-working staff, for faithfully persevering in providing incredible law enforcement services in a field and environment that few can imagine – let alone do.

God has given correctional staff amazing hearts and strength, as they represent His authority and order, in a world of chaos; yet you each deserve support, too. I pray that this 6-part Guide will help to facilitate a chaplaincy resource in each jail -- to encourage, heal, appreciate, and uplift you many “hidden heroes,” who serve unseen, behind walls.